Socially Supercharged: Weekend Events

April 24, 2009

Spring is here – you know how I can tell?

There are a million bike races on the calendar, the Kingdom of PIR is dancing on the racetrack, and there are more fun social events happening on any given night than you could possibly hope to attend.

I’m still not sure what I’ll end up doing this weekend, but here’s what’s in the running:

For the Hairy-Legs: Bear Springs Trap MTB Race

Short track and cross country racing for the visor set. Yes, I do consider mountain bike racing a social event and you should too – it’s fun.

Refer to the Oregon Bike Racing Association or the SkiBowl MTB Racing calendar and follow the links (or attempt to follow links) to more information. I cannot be held accountable for how incredibly convoluted it is to get at the necessary material. But I am going to go ahead and say publicly that, in general, if you don’t have a website or access to a webpage and you’re putting on a race, I can help you get your information up online. Just email.

Convoluted registration and information aside, this race was a huge hit with people last year and it’s rumored to be a blast. And, c’mon, short track? Yeah, short track! Everybody loves a good short track course.

For the Roadies: Slay the Monster Cookie

The Willamette Valley Stage Race may have been canceled (a moment of silence please?) but you can still get your roadie fix this weekend. Head to Salem for the Monster Cookie Century. This ride has a reputation for being more than just a recreational ramble. Find the front of the group, grab a wheel and hold on for dear life – it’s hotly contested by the locals and sure to draw a good group of leg breakers.

I won’t be there, but if you go drop me a line and let me know who “won”.

For Shutterbugs and Arty-types: Slideluck Potshow PDX II

I’ve been hearing good things about this show-n-tell meets pot luck for a while now and I’m excited that it’s come around again.

Bring a piping hot casserole and pull up a chair. Slideluck Potshow has a reputation for showcasing good work (and pushing boundaries a bit) so I’m expecting big things.

For the Ladies: Grand Re-Opening of Women’s-Focused Bike N Hike Shop

I just found out about this one this week and I’m not sure I’ll be able to make it, but here’s what the press release had to say about what’s going down:

After servicing customers since 1984, Bike N Hike has a celebration planned around the remodel of one of its six Portland area bicycle retail locations to now introduce a women’s only bicycle specialty retailer. To celebrate there will be several public cycling-focused events that include an Olympic medalist cyclist teaching clinics, group rides and plenty of food and freebies for attendees. The day’s activities offer rare opportunities for the public to interact with a renowned champion cyclist.

Kevin Chudy, owner of the six Bike N’ Hike bicycle retail stores in the Portland area turned to his supplier, Giant Bicycle, as a partner to help his business get ahead of the competition. In September 2007, Chudy worked with Giant to open his first Giant Retail Partner (GRP) store in Beaverton, and he’s now about to open his second. With the help of Giant’s sales and retail/merchandising experts, the store was transformed from the ground up, including newly designed retail environment and operating practices better serving the customer’s best interest.

This Saturday, Chudy will open his store on S.E. Grand Avenue, newly renovated again through Giant’s GRP program and with a new competitive business focus: better serving female cyclists. The store now includes a 1,500 sq. ft. women-specific cycling section that will be Portland’s most innovative sports-retail offering for women. After extensive market research in Portland including interviews and focus groups with local women, the store has undergone a similar professional retail makeover from fixtures to lighting, interior design and merchandising that will surely wow local consumers and offer women the best bicycle retail experience possible.

I’m going to try to make it out to part of these festivities – hope to see you there!